Forms of government on the basis of executive-legislative relationship.

1. Parliamentary form of government The executive leadership (cabinet) directs not only the affairs of the bureaucracy but also the work of the legislature. The cabinet headed by the prime minister, is often called the government not because it is in fact the entire government but in recognition of the key role it plays. To be prime minister, you need to be the leader of the political party that won the majority of seats in the lower house of the legislature and if he or she can win the approval of his/her proposed cabinet. The members of the cabinet may be exclusively from parliament or may include people who were not elected to office.

 The person who asks the leader of a political party to try to form a government is the nations head of state (monarch or president). This is the only significant political power of the head of state in this form of government, the rest are purely ceremonial and symbolic. Legislative bills proposed by the cabinet (government bills) have precedence over bills proposed by individual members of the parliament. No bill becomes a law without the consent of at least the lower house. The legislature can put an end to the life of the cabinet by calling for a motion of censure or by voting negatively when the government calls for a vote of confidence. If the government failed to get a vote of confidence, an election may be called. The electorate then decides whether to let the majority party remains in power.

2.

The parliamentary system is designed to keep the functions of the entire government tightly interwoven. Even the judicial branch is closely linked to the other two branches of government. Example: The British highest court (the Lords of Appeal in Ordinary). The parliament can overrule its rulings. The ultimate power over the judiciary resides in the cabinet. Voters only elect a legislature, they cannot split their votes between the executive and the legislature. Presidential form of Government It is characterized by a shifting balance of power. It rests on the assumption that placing too much power on the hands of a few is dangerous to liberty. (The principle of Separation of Powers)

 Government powers are divided into three branches (Legislative, Executive and Judicial). Each is given a separate source of power and the power to correct the abuses of the others (Checks and Balances). The Chief executive is elected on his own and choose the members of his cabinet from outside the ranks of the legislature. If a member of the legislative branch is chosen, he needs to vacate his congressional seat. To become Chief executive, one needs to be nominated by a political party and voted into office by the electorate. The term of office of a Chief executive is different from the term of office of the members of the legislature. The President and his cabinet may initiate legislation, but only indirectly, working with members of the legislature who are willing to sponsor such bills.

The president is both the head of the government and head of state. In a presidential form of government, the president cannot dissolve the legislature and the legislature cannot oust the president except through the constitutional process of impeachment. Mixed system (Presidential-Parliamentary) It is characterized by strong ties between the legislature and the executive and a weak legislature. A president chooses a prime minister who must win the approval of the lower house for a cabinet. He has the power to appoint anyone as prime minister and the power to remove that person at will. The result is a stronger Executive. The Prime Minister need not be a member of the Legislature or a political party. The same is true for members of the Cabinet.

3.

 It is normal in this kind of system for a president to be elected by the people; the Prime minister and cabinet members need not have been elected at all. This system may also give the president the right to name the highest judges, rule the nation directly during states of emergency and declare when such a state of emergency exists. The prime minister retains the important powers of setting the governments daily agenda and overseeing the formulation and execution of policy but he needs to play this role in such a way that is satisfactory to the president. The only power of the legislature that can check the powers of the president is its power to approve or otherwise the cabinet including the prime minister.

Forms of Governments on the basis of the relationship of the central and local governments
UNITARY SYSTEM is a system of government in which all the powers are reserved to the central government. The central government may delegate the exercise of some of those powers to such sub-units as provinces, cities, towns and barangays but any such delegation maybe revoked anytime. FEDERAL SYSTEM is a system of government in which certain powers are reserved to the central government but others are constitutionally reserved to the governments of the nations constituent parts (states, provinces, canton).

 In federal systems, the central government has exclusive control over foreign affairs, defense and monetary policy. The states/provinces/canton normally control education, health, police and public works. CONFEDERAL SYSTEM is a system of government in which the units are actually independent states that have decided to join together in a formal alliance, acting as a single unit for some limited purposes but not for others. The Confederal system is only transient in character for systems on the way to greater unity or greater independence. It is normally temporary. Ex. Switzerlands 4 cantons (13th century) now a federation since 1848. The 13 original British American colonies now a federation called USA.

LOCAL GOVERNMENT is any government less broad in its extent and applicability than an entire State/nation. Examples of Local Government units: states, provinces, cities, counties, municipalities or towns, barangays (villages). LEVELS OF LOCAL GOVERNMENTS 1. state normally has come into being because its inhabitants have some common qualities or needs in common that is not shared by the rest of the nation. ( Unique to Federations) It must strive to protect its inhabitants interests. Oftentimes, it lacks the necessary powers and resources to meet its goals and the demands of its inhabitants, hence, it asks at times the support of the central government. It seldom accept central control without a struggle. If the situation becomes intolerable, it sometimes seek independence.

2.

Region is usually formed by grouping provincial units. Occasionally, a region is formed within a single province, but even then it is usually responsible to the national government.

Two kinds of Regional Governments a. Structural Regionalism. Here, the provincial units are grouped in regions by Constitutional order. This kind of regional government is expected to be permanent additions to the body politic. Functional Regionalism. Here, regional governments are normally established to deal with only a single problem such as the development of electricity, the conservation of water resources or any specific policy areas not easily accommodated by municipal, provincial or national centers of government. Its structure is not permanent but only a short-term statutory solution to current problems.

b.

3.

Province. In a unitary system, it is a political subdivision that has its own government exercising powers delegated by the national government. It supervises component cities and municipalities within its territorial limits to ensure that these component units are acting within the limits of their authority. City. It is basically a town of the higher rank largely determined by its population and income. Municipality/Town. It is a political subdivision that is larger than a village but smaller than a city. Village. It is a political subdivision smaller than a town.

4. 5. 6.

 Provinces, cities, towns and villages have their own legislatures which are responsible in setting rules and regulations in the form of ordinances (sometimes referred to as municipal laws). Forms of Government on the Basis of the manner of Succession

1. Hereditary government. Power/authority is transmitted or transmittable in the line of descent. The authority to govern is inherited. Ex. North Korea. (Kim Il-Sung to Kim Jong-Il to Kim Jong-Un)
2. Elective government. Power/authority is earned by being voted into government positions.